New York woman is shocked to find her waxer wearing Meta's AI glasses
Meta's Ray-Ban and Oakley AI glasses create new privacy concerns
😬 A viral TikTok video has seen one New York woman explain a potentially horrible encounter with a user of Meta's AI glasses
😮 Aniessa Navarro went to a branch of the European Wax Center in Manhattan for a routine Brazilian wax to find her waxer was wearing the glasses
🤨 It left the influencer disturbed that the glasses could have been recording, even if the staff member said they were powered off
🤓 Although Navarro was told by two attorneys she had grounds for legal action, raising awareness is her primary aim
A New York woman has told a disturbing story in a viral TikTok video about how she went to get a Brazilian wax, only to find that the waxer was wearing Meta's AI smart glasses.
According to the now-viral TikTok video, Aniessa Navarro, a New York-based influencer, went into a European Wax Center in Manhattan for a routine Brazilian wax procedure before an upcoming vacation.
She noticed the waxer was wearing a pair of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses that have the ability to record at 1080p, albeit in portrait mode, for social media sharing.
Navarro asked the waxer about the glasses, who said they had prescription lenses in and weren't actually charged up.
The waxer reportedly seemed unbothered, although Navarro was left disturbed. The interaction transitioned from a friendly chat into something where Navarro felt a lot more uncomfortable because of the concern that the glasses could have been recording an intimate moment.
Taking to TikTok to explain the situation, Navarro asked for advice on next steps. Her followers suggested either contacting a lawyer or the European Wax Center's corporate office.
In a follow-up TikTok video, she explained that she had taken the decision to email the European Wax Center's customer service, and initially received a generic response with a follow-up that a customer service representative would contact the location for more information.
Navarro also stated that she had contacted two law firms, whose attorneys informed her that she had grounds to pursue legal action if she wished to. However, she said that she didn't want to get anyone fired if the waxer had done nothing wrong.
Instead, she was more interested in raising awareness of the risks of smart glasses in intimate settings.
The European Wax Center in Manhattan issued a statement to the Washington Post in response, noting that the Meta glasses were powered down during Navarro's procedure.
The incident soon began to attract media attention and “overwhelmed” Navarro.
A red recording light comes on when Meta’s smart glasses are recording. However, unless you’re staring at someone at all times, that light could come on without you knowing. It certainly highlights a potential privacy concern about smart glasses, especially if they’re worn in intimate settings.
On the flip side, a blind man recently shared how Meta’s glasses have helped him get back to work.
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.